Video – Council Questions NYPD Stats Of Declining Crime

NEW YORK, NY [NY1] — At a hearing Monday, the City Council’s public safety committee questioned whether crime is truly waning in New York City.

Major felony crime was down 3 percent in 2008, but that is less of a drop than in recent years.

Major crime is down around 14 percent from this time last year.

Murders and robberies both increased last year.

Committee chairman and Queens Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. pointed out that crime is up outside the categories on which the NYPD bases its numbers.

“Misdemeanor complaints are up and, in fact, felony complaints overall are up. The only thing that went down in 2008 was five of the seven major felony crimes,” said Vallone. “That’s a good thing, however, crime doesn’t consist of only those felonies.”

Philip McGuire, the city police department’s assistant commissioner in charge of statistic gathering, highlighted the 2009 figures, and said there will always be upticks in crime, but tracking statistics helps them focus on areas with high crime.

“Any number is too many and one brings to bear the strategies and tactics you have on the problems that you’ve been able to identify in that period,” said McGuire. “And you attempt to be as successful as you can in dealing with those problems.”

Vallone said he wants the NYPD to release more detailed information on categories other than the seven major felony crimes.